> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.buffer.lol/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connect a data source

> Supported sources and how to authenticate and configure sync frequency.

Before you can build dashboards or run reports, you need to connect at least one data source. The platform supports databases, data warehouses, and SaaS tools through a unified connection interface.

## Supported sources

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Databases">
    * PostgreSQL
    * MySQL / MariaDB
    * Microsoft SQL Server
    * SQLite (file upload)
    * Oracle Database
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Data warehouses">
    * Snowflake
    * Google BigQuery
    * Amazon Redshift
    * Databricks
    * ClickHouse
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="SaaS tools">
    * Salesforce
    * HubSpot
    * Stripe
    * Google Analytics
    * Zendesk
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Connection settings

Navigate to **Analytics → Data sources → Add source** and complete the following fields:

| Field                  | Description                                                          |
| ---------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Source name**        | A human-readable label used in the UI.                               |
| **Source type**        | Select from the supported list above.                                |
| **Host / URL**         | Hostname or endpoint URL for the source.                             |
| **Port**               | Default ports are pre-filled for common sources.                     |
| **Database / Schema**  | The specific database or schema to connect to.                       |
| **Username / API key** | Authentication credential for the source.                            |
| **Password / Secret**  | Stored encrypted and never displayed after saving.                   |
| **SSL mode**           | Require, prefer, or disable SSL. Require SSL for production sources. |

Click **Test connection** to validate credentials before saving. Errors include a specific reason code to help troubleshoot firewall or credential issues.

## Sync frequency

After connecting a source, configure how often data is refreshed:

* **Real-time** — Queries run live against the source on every dashboard load. Best for low-latency sources with indexed queries.
* **Scheduled sync** — Data is fetched on a fixed interval (15 minutes, 1 hour, 6 hours, or daily) and cached. Best for large datasets or rate-limited APIs.
* **Manual** — Refresh only when you click **Sync now**. Suitable for one-off data imports.

<Info>
  Scheduled sync intervals depend on your plan. Free plans support daily sync only.
</Info>